Covert Relationship
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: Makarov has noticed some...peculiar behavior from Laxus and Mirajane recently, but he's sure it's nothing. They're only spending more time together, sneaking away to the bookroom, closing up the guild with one another... Surely it's nothing, right? Right? - One-shot.


Covert Relationship

Makarov was old, he'd given them all that. And his luck with women, albeit frequent in his youth, had never been quite everlasting. But that didn't mean that he couldn't tell a budding romance when he saw it.

And boy, did he see enough of them during his time as Master. He knew that was to be expected, of course, as there came a point when they had so many young members, children that were more or less raised by the guild. And inevitably, those children grew and began to forge their own relationships.

It was beyond his fair share of them, however, when it finally got down to the last two people he would have ever paired together.

At first, it started with a few glances between the two parties. Nothing to be concerned about. She'd always been nice to everyone around and he…well, he not quite so much, but he'd always had a soft spot for her. Then again, the guy more or less had trouble with crying and oh, she'd cry if someone treated her badly.

…Or scold them. One or the other.

So when the two of them began to talk more, he didn't think much of it, Makarov didn't. Fine, his grandson wasn't too vocal, but it was hard not to be with Mirajane. And as of late, she'd seemed to have grown even more attached to him for some reason or other. Nothing of serious interest with.

Until the touching started.

Now, Makarov had a pretty nice view of the guildhall from his seat atop the bar, where he'd usually meditate or just find peace with the goings on of his guild. The past few weeks though he'd taken more of a notice of Mirajane.

It started with the way that she constantly found a reason to bring Laxus over to the bar. He'd usually either sit with his bodyguards or off by himself. But in the past few weeks, she'd been asking him to come sit by the bar and help her with something. Once, she even literally took him by the hand and drug him over there.

It was madness.

What was worse was that Laxus let her do those things. And by things, he meant there were others.

She would randomly pat him on the arm or, even once, literally reached out while she was working at the bar to rub his hair, messing up his yellow locks. And Laxus would only grumble, but say nothing.

He'd even witnessed, more than once, her gently touching his shoulder or patting him on the head as she went about her business, walking around the guild, carrying platters of food and beer. A couple of times, Laxus had even been the one to leave a lingering touch on Mira. His hand would graze her arm or the small of her back.

And if the two of them didn't find themselves standing close to one another a lot recently. Every time there was some sort of a crisis at the guild (and honestly, when wasn't there) and everyone would gather around one another, they'd find themselves huddled up in the circle or by whatever table they had a map or book spread out across, Laxus arm just gently brushing hers usually.

The two of them seemed to think that they were being sneaky. Crafty. And perhaps they were. Perhaps he was the only one picking up on the signs. But it didn't change one single fact; his grandson was ruining one of the best things that the guild had going for it.

What was going to happen then? Huh? When Laxus and Mirajane inevitably called it quits and she left the guild high and dry? Laxus was so selfish. Who was Makarov supposed to stare at then? Erza? That wouldn't work. She was almost always in her armor at the hall. And now that they all knew Cana was Gildarts daughter, well, that just made things awkward.

No. Laxus was ruining things not only for the guild, but also Makarov. And he just couldn't take it.

Deep down he had to admit, if only to himself, that part of it was also jealousy. Mirajane was by far the person that Makarov fell back on the most and, though a lot of that had to due with her willingness to help him with the most mundane tasks around the hall, he also just found her attractive. Which there was nothing wrong with.

Up until that point. He couldn't be…gawking at his grandson's girlfriend.

Could he?

Maybe.

It was still early though, he tried to tell himself many times, to call Mira that. He truly had no idea how close the two of them were. Perhaps he was just reading too much into things. He was just a pervy old man, projecting his own fantasies of his youth on his grandson and one of the more attractive women in the guild.

Yes. That was all.

Just when he had himself nearly convinced of that, however, something new popped up.

Mira began spending her breaks down in the bookroom.

Which wouldn't have been too odd. She did spend most of the day up at the bar, in all the hustle and bustle. Some peace and quiet was probably nice.

No, the weird part was the fact that typically Laxus was soon to follow her down there.

Makarov tried to ignore it. Honest, he did. And he even avoided going down there to break it up each time it happened. Laxus took jobs so frequently that it wasn't often.

The thing that bothered him the most, really, was the way that everyone else seemed to just be oblivious to it.

For the Thunder God Tribe's obsession with Laxus and Mira's overbearing siblings as well as friends, one would think that it was all anyone could talk about. But the Thunder Legion was busy trying to impress him with their solo jobs for trial times and Mira's siblings were always off on jobs just the two of them.

No, it seemed to only be him that was interested in the love life of Laxus and Mirajane. And really, not even that. He knew that his grandson would date around with different women in Magnolia and such and, more than once, he'd had to listen to Mirajane go on and on about whatever man she was seeing at the time. And he was fine with both of those (except maybe having to listen to Mira blab about men, only because when she got started, she never knew how to shut up). Honest, he was.

It was just the thought of the two of them together that bothered him.

It wasn't until one day, after he accidentally fell asleep in his office and didn't wake up until after hours that he finally had to say something.

He could hear Mirajane, out there in the bar area still, closing up. At first he thought that she was just with one of her siblings or something as they had a habit of staying with her after hours, until the giggling started.

"-can't do that, demon," he heard his grandson grumble of the sound of her laughter. "I have a reputation to keep, you know."

"But you would just look so good in pink, Lax," the woman insisted through her giggles. "Don't you think?"

"No."

"Lax."

"If you say so, then maybe," he told her with what sounded like some laughter of his own. "But that don't mean that it's happenin'."

"You wear purple shirts."

"Purple is manly."

"Am I talking to you or my brother?"

"It is."

"You'd look great in pink, Lax. Swear."

"Yeah, well, you can keep swearin'. Don't make much of a difference to me."

More giggles. Then, "Can you go put these jewels in the safe? Please? Then we can get out off here."

"Can I? _Can I_?"

"Lax-"

"Of course I can. Silly demon."

Makarov felt like he was dreaming. The sound of his grandson's thick soled boots on the floor out in the hall though was very real. And, when the door to the office opened, Makarov only sat up at his desk and stared.

Laxus had about the same reaction. Just staring.

Softly, as not to alert Mirajane to his presence, Makarov said, "Close the door."

The slayer only blinked, as if in shock, before moving to do what the man said.

"I thought you were-"

"Gone?" When Laxus nodded, he said, "I don't see how me being gone would have given you the right to put moves on Mirajane."

"Put moves on? What decade is this? And, for your information, Gramps, I haven't done anything, so-"

"Dragon. Are you hurrying?" Mira was a little impatient, it seemed. "Do you remember the combination? Do I need to come-"

"No, no," he called back to her. "I got it, demon."

"Okay," she sang. "But hurry. If this storm starts before we leave, then I'm getting to wear your jacket and you're going to get soaked."

"Alright," he yelled back, trying his hardest to keep his pitch neutral. No need to get the demon suspicious and to come back there. "Be there in a second."

"I'll put it on anyways, just in case."

"I said alright, Mira!"

Sheesh.

Makarov only continued to stare at him though. Raising one of the signature eyebrows that all the Dreyar men seemed to share, he asked, "Dragon?"

"Shut up, old man," he hissed, frowning at his grandfather as he came further into the office, jewels in hand. "And what? Huh? You takin' to spying on me or something?"

"It depends."

"On?"

"What exactly you've been doing with Mirajane."

"None of your dang business."

"I've noticed, Laxus," he said then. "The way the two of you have been acting together."

"What way? We're not-"

"And now after tonight-"

"We were just talking. That's-"

"Dragon, are you sure you're okay back there?" Mira was unrelenting. "If you need help, just ask."

"I'm fine, Mira, thanks," he volleyed back.

"Well, I know how hard a time you have with asking for-"

"I do not."

"Yes, you do. Remember that time that you couldn't find your headphones and we almost missed our reservation, but you wouldn't just tell me that was what you were looking for?"

"Yes, Mira, I-"

"Even though, really, you shouldn't use your headphones when you take me out. It's rude, you know, dragon."

"I got that. We've gone over it. Now just wait a second and I'll be right there, okay?" Glaring at his grandfather then, he said in a much softer voice, "We'll finish this later."

"Oh, believe me," Makarov grumbled as the man went to put away the jewels finally. "We will."

They did too. The very next day, Laxus was over at the man's home bright and early to hash it out.

"How long have you been abusing guild rights?"

That was how Makarov opened the door. Laxus only stared in shock at him.

"Abusing?" Growling then, he shoved his way into the house. "I ain't abusin' nothin'. Me and Mirajane are just seein' one another. It has nothing to do with the guild."

"The time you spent with one another appears to also happen on guild property, during her working hours. Violation. Abuse."

"Shut up, Gramps." He only came further into the house to go take a seat on the couch. "And why is this such a big deal to you?"

"Why are you hiding it?" the old man challenged as he followed, though he sat in his usual recliner. "If it is not a big deal?"

"We weren't hidin' it from you," Laxus grumbled as he relaxed on the couch. "At all."

"Then what were you doing?"

"Hidin' it from the others!" Laxus gave him a crazed look. "Could you imagine if this got out to the Thunder Legion? Or even just Freed? And forget about Mira's creepy siblings. Or her friends. That damn Lucy, she'd tell that stupid cat and he'd blab it to everyone. No. We couldn't have that."

"And why not? Hmmm?"

"Mira won't let anyone breathe without spreading stuff about them," he grumbled. "You think that they'd just all let this pass without a problem?" Snorting, he added, "I don't want those idiots meddling in my relationship."

"So now it is a relationship?"

"Of course it's one. Why wouldn't it be one? Me and Mira are seeing one another," he said. "A lot of one another. And-"

"And are you seeing other people as well?"

Feeling a lot less relaxed then, Laxus shifted on the couch. "Huh?"

"You heard me."

"Not that it's any of your concern-"

"It very much so is."

"How? Huh? I'm your grandson, you know," he grumbled. "Mira's just your stupid employee."

"Yes, well, I happen to like her a lot more than you, as it is."

"Figures." Shaking his head, Laxus said, "Me and Mirajane are very content with how things are, thanks."

"That's not what I asked."

"I'm committed to her, alright? Sheesh. What is this? A third degree?" Shifting some more, Laxus said, "Me and Mirajane have been seein' one another exclusively for a month or two now, if you're gonna be all nosey about it. And I'd appreciate it if you kept it to yourself, thanks."

"You do realize that if something went south between the two of you-"

"It won't."

"-it could cause problems in the guild, right?" Makarov was glaring at him then. "I rely on Mirajane for many things. If you run her off-"

"I'm not going to."

"Surely you understand how costly having relations in the guild can be."

"I'm not having relations," Laxus grumbled. "I'm have a relation. Relationship. Seriously, Gramps, relations makes it sound a lot worse than-"

"The only thing worse than this would be if you were with… No. This the worst. This is the absolute worst."

"You are being dramatic."

"Laxus, you are not known for lasting relationships," his grandfather pointed out.

"Yeah, and I just remember that constant mother and grandmother in my life growing up to show me how. Thanks for that, Gramps."

"That is my exact point," he said. "You're just as bad as any of us. And that would be fine. If you weren't sleeping with a guild member. And an important one at that. A very important one."

"So what? I could have my pick of the lowely-"

"Yes! You could have!" Makarov huffed then, shaking his head. "But as it stands now, you're going to have to stay with Mirajane forever. Or at least until she's done with you. Either that or I'll banish you before her. I promise you that. Because something tells me the two of you will not be adult about separating. At all."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, old man. And for, you know, shipping me off in this imaginary scenario even though it very well could be Mira that breaks my heart."

That time, he got a bored look from the elderly man. "Do not kid, Laxus."

"I'm serious." Crossing his arms over his chest, Laxus looked off as he said, "I happen to really enjoy Mirajane. I wouldn't have kept this going if I didn't. You think that I want to make things all complicated? No. But she's very…well…"

"Yes, I'm aware."

"But it's more than that," he insisted, as if his grandfather had rebuked him for what he said. "She gets me."

"Mirajane," Makarov repeated dryly, "gets you."

"Yeah."

"Mirajane Strauss."

"Yes."

"The same woman who came to me with a cartoon drawing as blueprints for the guild when it was-"

"The same."

"Laxus, surely you're more complex than that."

"And surely you know that Mirajane is much more complex than that." He wasn't backing down on that one. At all. "She's smart…in some aspects. A lot of them, actually. And she likes to brag on me, which is a plus."

"I'd bet."

"She's real tough too. Someone I can train with and not worry about hurting," he went on. "Really, we're just perfect for one another."

Makarov blinked. Then, slowly, he said, "Tell me, Laxus, that you do not think that you are-"

"I am," he said with a nod, not even needing his grandfather to finish his sentence. "I'm in love with her."

"Oh, Laxus."

"It's true. And she is with me." Leaning forwards then, he said, "So you better just get over it, Gramps. What? You think that she was holdin' out for you or somethin'?" Snort. "Hardly. And keep your old man eyes off her from now on."

Turning red, the man looked away. "I don't know what you-"

"I know you, Gramps. Erza? Cana? Laki? Take 'em. Look at 'em. I don't care. Bu the demon's mine now. Off limits."

"You-"

"Off," Laxus grumbled, "limits. To you and all your creepy old men friends. Mira's a lady."

Sighing loudly then, Makarov said slowly, "Is this how it will be then?"

"How what will be?"

"You," the man said, raising a finger at him. "This is the only time I've ever heard you talk about a woman in such a-"

"This is the first time you've asked me about one," Laxus pointed out. "But fine. You're right. The demon's different. She-"

"Stop with all this demon stuff. Please."

"I can't." Then, for the first time, Laxus grinned, real big. "You should be happy, Gramps, really, when you think about it."

"And why," he asked slowly, "should I be that?"

"'cause, accordin' to the demon, we're together forever now and she's gonna have my babies." He winked at the man. "You'll finally get her in the family."

"All this after only a few months?"

"Mira and I are very serious," Laxus told him. "So be prepared, yeah? You'll be footing the bill for the wedding."

"I think I would much rather be in the grave by that point."

"Careful what you wish for, Gramps," Laxus told him with a wag of the finger. "And you know that you'd rather be related to her than me anyhow."

"Oh, I think I've made that clear already." His head was spinning then. "You and Mira are serious enough that you've discussed-"

"Mira sees a good opportunity when it's presented to her," Laxus said, rubbing at his chest as he sat back up. "I don't think you get, Gramps, how great of a catch I am. I'm only a god embodied."

"Only," Makarov repeated with a roll of his eyes.

"Whose better babies to have. Huh? And a top mage like me at that? No way she could pass up on this sweet deal."

"Now it's a deal?"

"She's gettin' my jewels, my genes, and just me in general. What would you call it?"

Makarov only groaned. "Poor Mirajane."

"What?" Growling, Laxus said, "Gramps, you-"

"And all this time I thought she had a head on her shoulders."

"She does!"

"To make a decision like this-"

"Ain't nothin' final," Laxus reminded. "But don't think it'll take long now."

Makarov could only continue to shake his head. "I should have warned her. Kept her far form you. Something."

"Stop talkin' like I've done somethin' wrong. I haven't. Me and the demon are meant to be. We're divine."

"Surely there's someone I can introduce her to," Makarov mused. "Someone much more suitable. Yes. Anyone will do. Perhaps that Sting fellow. He's a guild master. Very-"

" _I_ ," Laxus growled, "would be a guild master by now if you'd just go ahead and die! Not to mention, Mirajane don't want him. Or anybody. But me. And you're kinda being a sour grandfather here, you know."

"Perhaps Gray-"

"Now you're just screwing with me." And riling him up. Very effectively. Glaring over at the other man, Laxus said, "I take her nice places, I don't ever yell at her, we hardly ever fight, I do whatever she wants, I take good care of her, I put up with all this baby talk when, really, it kinda freaks me out sometimes how mapped out she has our life together already-"

"I am only teasing, my boy," Makarov sighed. Sorta. "You and Mirajane are…both very important to me. And though this is rather shocking, all I ask is that you do not hurt her."

"Never." Then he frowned. "And hey! Are you gonna tell her to not hurt me or are you just being sexist over here?"

"You deserve to be hurt."

"You are just a sour old man, aren't you?" Settling back into the chair then, Laxus told him, "Mirajane and I are in this for the long haul. So you better get used to it."

"Considering you are both still very much so intent with hiding it-"

"From the others." Shrugging, he said, "Now that you know, there'd be no point in keepin' anything from you. I'll tell Mira that you found out and I'm sure it'll make her plenty happy."

"Please, don't," Makarov was quick to say. "It has been nice these past few months, not having to have a status update on her relationships. I'd rather not-"

"Just for that," and the fact he'd been so rude to Laxus over the whole thing, "I'm tellin' her."

It wasn't as if Makarov thought he'd keep it from her for long anyhow.

A day didn't pass before Makarov get all caught up in the relationship. Mira came in the office just to detail it to him. About how great Laxus was and how in love they were and how great everything was.

"I didn't mean to do all this behind your back-"

"It's quite alright, Mira," Master Makarov sighed as she continued to pace around the room, him just slumped in his chair, waiting for her break to finally end, as well as his torture. "Honestly, I-"

"Laxus is just so great. Really. He makes me really happy."

"That's wonderful. Now-"

"And if you're uncomfortable with any of this or think that it's wrong, you know, 'cause of the guild or that it crosses too many lines," she said slowly, "then I completely understand. And we'll-"

The man only forced a smile for her then. "I would think nothing for the sort."

Thankfully it was about that time that Lisanna called out for her sister that her break was over and they were getting slammed. Which relieved Makarov of listening to the woman. For the time being. If he knew Mirajane the way he thought he did, she'd be back later, to finish telling him about Laxus and her first date (she kept interrupting herself and never rightly got through it).

As annoyed as he wanted to be by the whole thing (as he still wasn't certain that his grandson wouldn't end up crushing the woman and he would absolutely hate that), it was hard to feel negatively about it when Mira's infectious smiled accompanied every word of her speech about it. She seemed to be very happy and, though he still wasn't sold on the whole thing, Makarov wanted to be happy for her too.

Oh, and his grandson, albeit begrudgingly. If Laxus was finally ready to have a steady romantic life, then that was definitely a good thing. Would Makarov have rather he tried that lifestyle out on someone other than Mirajane? Sure. But on the off chance that it did all work out (though he wasn't putting any money on it), he couldn't think of anyone better to welcome into his family.

If the time came. And, as more weeks were added and he observed more and more off Mirajane and Laxus' behavior, he wouldn't say that it was a sure thing, but it was definitely something nice to think about.

So fine, he was old. And yes, his luck with women had always run bad. But Laxus was young. And his was starting to look up.

Honestly, what more could Makarov ask for?

* * *

 **Old, unfinished one-shot that I thought I'd tweak and put out there. Gonna start on the next chapter of A Dragon's Love soon though. Maybe have it out in the next few days.**


End file.
